[GRASS-dev] GRASS 6.3.0 release preparation

Michael Barton michael.barton at asu.edu
Sat Aug 11 11:23:43 EDT 2007


I think that 6.3 stable is ready. With the exception of the the segfault
with r.proj (fixed or on its way to being fixed), I don't know of any
serious issues on-going with 6.3. Most of the recent changes I've seen come
across the dev list have been improvements or enhancements.


On 8/11/07 5:37 AM, "Glynn Clements" <glynn at gclements.plus.com> wrote:

> 
> Paul Kelly wrote:
> 
>>> I think one problem could be with the new python gui: many distros do
>>> not have wx2.8 packaged, and this could slow down effective
>>> dissemination of the new version.
>>> Anybody knows more about this?
>> 
>> The new Python GUI isn't in 6.3.x, so it's not an issue - the main GUI for
>> 6.3.x/6.4.x is still (a further improved) Tcl/Tk gis.m with more bugs
>> fixed and more cross-platform compatibility.
>> 
>> I was just thinking, the Python GUI can probably be merged into the CVS
>> HEAD after a release branch has been created for 6.4.x (probably won't be
>> ready for that for at least a couple of months). Then there will be 6.5.x
>> - we can probably start making other major changes there and release it
>> eventually as 7.0? How does that sound?
> 
> I'm disinclined towards the creation of 6.4/6.5 versions. I would
> prefer to see stable = 6.3.x, dev = 7.0-cvs.

I won't comment on how to best version this, but on a pathway for the new
GUI. It is ready for inclusion to be packaged with GRASS as an alternative
GUI now, but needs testing before it can become the primary GUI.

My suggestion is ...

1) Get out a stable 6.3 without the new GUI
2) Package the new GUI in the subsequent dev release. A user should be able
to activate it as a default GUI by setting GRASS_GUI=wx. This would include
any module properties dialogs launched by typing the command at the GRASS
prompt. Test and improve the new GUI until it is robust and stable.
3) Release a new dev version with the wxPython GUI as the default one,
keeping TclTk as an alternate.
4) Release a new stable version with the wxPython GUI as default, keeping
TclTk as an alternate.

I realize that getting wxPython 2.8 on some systems is currently a problem,
but this can be helped a lot by the release of wxPython packages for
different Linux systems within the GRASS community (Mac and Windows binaries
seem to be released along with any new wxPython version change). The recent
prep of a Mandriva RPM by (sorry I can't remember) is a good example. Also,
we never took advantage of the packaging features of TclTk, but could do so
for a wxPython GUI to make this easier.

Beyond the GUI, after the release of 6.3 stable, it would be good to think
about how to transition to a new organization for raster file management
that parallels the vector file model. IMHO, this is something that is needed
and should happen at the 6/7 version boundary.

Another largish 6/7 change would be revamping the display processes as Glynn
has been discussing and moving towards.

Michael


__________________________________________
Michael Barton, Professor of Anthropology
Director of Graduate Studies
School of Human Evolution & Social Change
Center for Social Dynamics & Complexity
Arizona State University

phone: 480-965-6213
fax: 480-965-7671
www: http://www.public.asu.edu/~cmbarton





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